New Housing Plan Aims to Boost Supply and Raise Standards

The Government has announced a major new initiative aimed at tackling the housing crisis through a £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The ten-year plan sets out ambitions to deliver around 300,000 new homes, with at least 60% of these intended for social rent—a tenure linked to local incomes.

The announcement, made by Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, outlines a long-term commitment to increasing the supply, safety, and quality of affordable housing across England. The investment marks a significant increase compared to previous programmes, with nearly double the annual funding committed by the end of this Parliament.

Key features of the programme include:

• A target of 180,000 homes for social rent—six times more than the previous decade.
• A 10-year funding settlement to provide greater certainty for housing providers and local authorities.
• An updated Decent Homes Standard, extended for the first time to the private rented sector.
• New Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for social housing, with a focus on reducing energy bills and improving sustainability.
• Reforms to the Right to Buy scheme to protect council housing stock and enable reinvestment in new homes.
• A renewed partnership with housing providers, backed by a five-step plan to boost capacity, regulation, and delivery.

Homes England will oversee the majority of the national delivery, while up to 30% of programme funding will support housing delivery in Greater London via the GLA.

The programme also aims to modernise rent policy, with a consultation on rent convergence measures and a new long-term rent settlement from April 2026. Alongside this, the government will engage with the sector to agree an overall delivery target and ensure a coordinated, long-term response to housing need.

The new initiative forms part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, which includes commitments to build 1.5 million homes, reform the planning system, and establish a National Housing Bank to support delivery.

This article summarises a Government announcement published on 2 July 2025.

As a membership-based organisation advocating for rural communities, the RSN welcome views from our members on how this programme could support or impact rural areas. Please contact us to share your thoughts.